Firing pin mounting assembly for a firearm

Abstract

An assembly for mounting a firing pin to a bolt assembly of a firearm is provided and includes a bolt assembly adapted for mounting to the firearm, a firing pin mounted to the bolt assembly for reciprocating movement relative to the bolt assembly, and a retaining member releasably engaging a portion of the bolt assembly and slidably engaging a rearward portion of the firing pin. The retaining member is shiftable between an engaged position in which the retaining member is secured to the bolt assembly and a release position in which the retaining member and the firing pin are removable from the bolt assembly. The retaining member is biased against the portion of the bolt assembly when the retaining member is in the engaged position.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An assembly for mounting a firing pin to a bolt assembly of a firearm, the assembly comprising: 
       a bolt assembly, the bolt assembly adapted for mounting to the firearm;  
       a firing pin, the firing pin mounted to the bolt assembly for reciprocating movement relative to the bolt assembly; and  
       a retaining member, the retaining member releasably engaging a portion of the bolt assembly and slidably engaging a rearward portion of the firing pin, the rearward portion of the firing pin extending through the retaining member, the retaining member rotatably shiftable about a longitudinal axis of the firing pin between an engaged position in which the retaining member is secured to the bolt assembly and a release position in which the retaining member and the firing pin are removable from the bolt assembly, the retaining member shiftable between the engaged position and the released position in less than a single revolution, the retaining member being biased against the portion of the bolt assembly when the retaining member is in the engaged position.  
     
     
       2. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the firing pin is moveable between a forward position and a rearward position, and including a firing pin spring engaging the firing pin to thereby bias the firing pin toward the rearward position, and wherein the firing pin includes a shoulder, the shoulder engaging the retaining member as the firing pin approaches the rearward position to thereby apply a rearward force to the retaining member. 
     
     
       3. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining member is a spring steel disk. 
     
     
       4. The assembly of  claim 1 , the bolt assembly including a forward end and a rearward end, and wherein the retaining member includes a first face and a second face, the retaining member being generally symmetrically shaped to thereby permit the retaining member to be mounted to the bolt assembly with either the first face or the second face disposed toward the forward end of the bolt assembly. 
     
     
       5. An assembly for mounting a firing pin to a bolt assembly of a firearm, the assembly comprising: 
       a bolt assembly, the bolt assembly adapted for mounting to the firearm;  
       a firing pin, the firing pin mounted to the bolt assembly for reciprocating movement relative to the bolt assembly, a rearward portion of the firing pin including an elongated section bounded by a shoulder and a widened end; and  
       a retaining member, the retaining member releasably engaging a portion of the bolt assembly and slidably engaging the rearward portion of the firing pin, the retaining member shiftable between an engaged position in which the retaining member is secured to the bolt assembly and a release position in which the retaining member and the firing pin are removable from the bolt assembly, the retaining member being biased against the portion of the bolt assembly when the retaining member is in the engaged position, the retaining member including an aperture sized to slidably engage the elongated section, and wherein the retaining member includes a plurality of tabs defined at least in part by a plurality of slits extending radially outwardly from the aperture, the tabs being deflectable to thereby permit the retaining member to be mounted to the firing pin by inserting the widened end through the aperture.  
     
     
       6. An assembly for mounting a firing pin to a bolt assembly of a firearm, the assembly comprising: 
       a bolt assembly, the bolt assembly adapted for mounting to the firearm;  
       a firing pin, the firing pin mounted to the bolt assembly for reciprocating movement relative to the bolt assembly; and  
       a planar retaining member, the retaining member releasably engaging a portion of the bolt assembly and slidably engaging a rearward portion of the firing pin, the retaining member shiftable between an engaged position in which the retaining member is secured to the bolt assembly and a release position in which the retaining member and the firing pin are removable from the bolt assembly, the retaining member being biased against the portion of the bolt assembly when the retaining member is in the engaged position; and  
       wherein the bolt assembly includes a plurality of brackets, each of the brackets defining a forward facing seat, and wherein the retaining member includes a plurality of radially extending arms, the arms defined by outwardly extending portions of the planar retaining member and being generally disposed in the plane of the retaining member, the arms and the brackets spaced so that an outer extent of each of the arms engages a corresponding one of the seats when the retaining member is in the engaged position.  
     
     
       7. The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the retaining member is a rotatable about an axis of the firing pin between the engaged position and the released position, and wherein the brackets are positioned on the bolt assembly such that each of the radially extending arms is disposed between a pair of the brackets when the retaining member is rotated to the released position. 
     
     
       8. An assembly for mounting a firing pin to a bolt assembly of a firearm, the assembly comprising: 
       a bolt assembly, the bolt assembly adapted for mounting to the firearm;  
       a firing pin, the firing pin mounted to the bolt assembly for reciprocating movement relative to the bolt assembly; and  
       a retaining member, the retaining member releasably engaging a portion of the bolt assembly and slidably engaging a rearward portion of the firing pin, the retaining member shiftable between an engaged position in which the retaining member is secured to the bolt assembly and a release position in which the retaining member and the firing pin are removable from the bolt assembly, the retaining member being biased against the portion of the bolt assembly when the retaining member is in the engaged position; and  
       wherein the bolt assembly includes a plurality of brackets, at least one of the brackets defining a recessed seat, at least a second of the brackets defining a groove, and wherein the retaining member includes a plurality of radially extending arms, at least one of the arms engaging the groove and at least a second one of the arms engaging the recessed seat when the retaining member is in the engaged position.  
     
     
       9. The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the retaining member is a generally planar spring steel member, and wherein the recessed seat is disposed forwardly of the groove, whereby the second one of the arms is biased against the recessed seat. 
     
     
       10. An assembly for mounting a firing pin to a firearm, the assembly comprising: 
       a bolt assembly, the bolt assembly adapted for mounting to the firearm, the bolt assembly including a plurality of brackets;  
       a firing pin, the firing pin mounted to the bolt assembly for reciprocating movement relative to the bolt assembly between a forward position and a rearward position;  
       a retaining member, the retaining member releasably engaging the brackets of the bolt assembly and slidably engaging a rearward portion of the firing pin, the rearward portion of the firing pin arranged to protrude through the retaining member, the retaining member rotatably shiftable about a longitudinal axis of the firing pin between an engaged position in which the retaining member engages the brackets and a release position in which the retaining member and the firing pin are removable from the bolt assembly; and  
       biasing means for biasing the retaining member against the brackets.  
     
     
       11. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the biasing means is defined at least in part by a firing pin spring and a shoulder on the firing pin, the shoulder sized to abut the retaining member when the firing pin is disposed toward the rearward position. 
     
     
       12. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the rearward portion of the firing pin includes an elongated section bounded by a forward shoulder and a widened rearward end, and wherein the retaining member includes an aperture sized to slidably receive the elongated section. 
     
     
       13. The assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the retaining member includes a plurality of radially extending arms, and wherein at least one of the brackets defines a recessed seat, the recess seat sized to receive one of the arms to thereby maintain the retaining member in the engaged position. 
     
     
       14. The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the arms and the brackets are spaced so that upon rotating the retaining member to the released position each of the arms is disposed between a pair of the brackets. 
     
     
       15. The assembly of  claim 10 , the bolt assembly including a forward end and a rearward end, and wherein the retaining member is a generally planar spring steel element having a first face and a second face, the retaining member being shaped to thereby permit the retaining member to be mounted to the bolt assembly with either the first face or the second face disposed toward the forward end of the bolt assembly. 
     
     
       16. An assembly for mounting a firing pin to a firearm, the assembly comprising: 
       a bolt assembly, the bolt assembly adapted for mounting to the firearm, the bolt assembly including a plurality of brackets;  
       a firing pin, the firing pin mounted to the bolt assembly for reciprocating movement relative to the bolt assembly between a forward position and a rearward position;  
       a retaining member, the retaining member releasably engaging the brackets of the bolt assembly and slidably engaging a rearward portion of the firing pin, the retaining member rotatably shiftable about an axis of the firing pin between an engaged position in which the retaining member engages the brackets and a release position in which the retaining member and the firing pin are removable from the bolt assembly; and  
       biasing means for biasing the retaining member against the brackets; and  
       wherein the retaining member comprises a spring steel disk element, and further wherein a first one of the brackets includes a groove and a second one of the brackets defines a seat, the seat disposed forwardly of the groove, and wherein the spring steel disk element, the groove, and the seat cooperate to define the biasing means.  
     
     
       17. An assembly for mounting a firing pin to a firearm, the assembly comprising: 
       a bolt assembly, the bolt assembly adapted for mounting to the firearm, the bolt assembly including a plurality of brackets;  
       a firing pin, the firing pin mounted to the bolt assembly for reciprocating movement relative to the bolt assembly between a forward position and a rearward position, the firing pin having a rearward portion, the rearward portion of the firing pin includes an elongated section bounded by a forward shoulder and a widened rearward end;  
       a retaining member, the retaining member releasably engaging the brackets of the bolt assembly and slidably engaging the rearward portion of the firing pin, the retaining member rotatably shiftable about an axis of the firing pin between an engaged position in which the retaining member engages the brackets and a release position in which the retaining member and the firing pin are removable from the bolt assembly, the retaining member including an aperture sized to slidably receive the elongated section;  
       biasing means for biasing the retaining member against the brackets; and  
       wherein the retaining member includes a plurality of tabs defined at least in part by a plurality of slits extending radially outwardly from the aperture, the tabs being deflectable to thereby permit the retaining member to be mounted to the firing pin by inserting the widened rearward end through the aperture.  
     
     
       18. An assembly for mounting a firing pin a firearm, the assembly comprising: 
       a bolt assembly, the bolt assembly having a plurality of brackets, the bolt assembly adapted for mounting to the firearm;  
       a firing pin, the firing pin mounted to the bolt assembly for reciprocating movement relative to the bolt assembly between a forward position and a rearward position; and  
       a generally planar retaining member, the retaining member rotatably moveable about an axis of the firing pin between an engaged position in which the retaining member engages the brackets and a released position in which the retaining member is released from the brackets, the brackets and the retaining member arranged so that the retaining member is biased against at least one of the brackets when the retaining member is in the engaged position; and  
       the retaining member including an aperture sized to receive a narrowed portion of the firing pin, the narrowed portion defined at least in part by a widened rear end and a forward shoulder, the widened rear end and the forward shoulder cooperating with the retaining member to permit limited longitudinal movement of the firing pin relative to the retaining member;  
       whereby the retaining member and the firing pin may be removed as a single unit when the retaining member is in the released position.  
     
     
       19. An assembly for mounting a firing pin a firearm, the assembly comprising: 
       a bolt assembly, the bolt assembly having a plurality of brackets, the bolt assembly adapted for mounting to the firearm;  
       a firing pin, the firing pin mounted to the bolt assembly for reciprocating movement relative to the bolt assembly between a forward position and a rearward position; and  
       a generally planar retaining member, the retaining member rotatably moveable about an axis of the firing pin between an engaged position in which the retaining member engages the brackets and a released position in which the retaining member is released from the brackets, the brackets and the retaining member arranged so that the retaining member is biased against at least one of the brackets when the retaining member is in the engaged position; and  
       the retaining member including an aperture sized to receive a narrowed portion of the firing pin, the narrowed portion defined at least in part by a widened rear end and a forward shoulder, the widened rear end and the forward shoulder cooperating with the retaining member to permit limited longitudinal movement of the firing pin relative to the retaining member, the retaining member further including a plurality of tabs defined at least in part by a plurality of slits extending radially outwardly from the aperture, the tabs being deflectable to thereby permit the retaining member to be mounted to the firing pin by inserting the widened end through the aperture;  
       whereby the retaining member and the firing pin may be removed as a single unit when the retaining member is in the released position.  
     
     
       20. An assembly for mounting a firing pin a firearm, the assembly comprising: 
       a bolt assembly, the bolt assembly having a plurality of brackets, the bolt assembly adapted for mounting to the firearm;  
       a firing pin, the firing pin mounted to the bolt assembly for reciprocating movement relative to the bolt assembly between a forward position and a rearward position; and  
       a generally planar retaining member, the retaining member rotatably moveable about an axis of the firing pin between an engaged position in which the retaining member engages the brackets and a released position in which the retaining member is released from the brackets, the brackets and the retaining member arranged so that the retaining member is biased against at least one of the brackets when the retaining member is in the engaged position, and wherein a first one of the brackets defines a recessed seat and a second of the brackets defines a groove, and wherein the retaining member includes a plurality of radially extending arms, a first one of the arms sized to engage the recessed seat and a second one of the arms sized to engage the groove, the recessed seat disposed forwardly of the groove, and wherein the retaining member is a spring steel element, the groove cooperating with the second arm to bias the first arm against the recessed seat when the retaining member is in the engaged position;  
       the retaining member including an aperture sized to receive a narrowed portion of the firing pin, the narrowed portion defined at least in part by a widened rear end and a forward shoulder, the widened rear end and the forward shoulder cooperating with the retaining member to permit limited longitudinal movement of the firing pin relative to the retaining member;  
       whereby the retaining member and the firing pin may be removed as a single unit when the retaining member is in the released position.